


Advent for Sheith

by Leiya



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU, Childhood Friends, Dates gone wrong, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, Kimono, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Will add tags as I go, canonverse, childhood AU, zoo au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-05 18:34:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 19,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16816168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leiya/pseuds/Leiya
Summary: 24 days until christmas, 24 short stories about Shiro, Keith and the Voltron Paladins. Some are canonverse, others AU, some innocent some will get a bit... steamy.





	1. Day 01: Snowball fight/candles

**Author's Note:**

> I got the promts from two close friends of mine and I try my best to fulfill everything.
> 
> I hope you like this.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On their way to earth they land on a snowy planet to refill their water supplies

Day 01 – Snowball fight/candles

“We need to get down Coran!” Pidge’s voice cuts into the heated discussion. “I don’t care if there is life on that planet down there and we don’t know whether it’s friendly or not but we need water and the lions need a rest! The planet down there consists of ice... water ice mind you, not methane ice or ammonium ice!”

“I’m with Pidge.” Shiro agrees. “We can’t go on much longer. Right now we still have the capacities to fight in case the population is hostile or belong to the Galra, who knows how things are at the next exoplanet.”

As always the former Black Paladin’s words settle the discussion and they pilot their lions down onto the ice planet.  
Careful they exit the five robots and take a look around, glad to be down on solid ground again.  
Nevertheless they stay careful; weapons at hand and the space wolf highly alert at Keith’s side. 

Of course Pidge has already found the place where the ice is the cleanest and they are close by so they can quickly refill their water supply. 

They have to wait while the lions work to refill their water tanks. The planet is harsh and they don’t find anything edible... but Hunk calms them: Their food goo supply will last for another few weeks.  
They try to light a fire which they only manage with Red’s help but somehow Lance has other plans but to sit at the warming fire. He builds a snowball and throws it at Keith who turns around instantly. Lance gulps but doesn’t back off. “Hey take care or another one will hit...” 

He can’t finish the sentence because he’s hit into the face by a softer ball of snow made with one hand. He turns a bit to see Shiro. “Don’t dare to attack your leader!” Shiro threatens playful until he gets hit by one of Keith’s snow balls. 

“Don’t you think I can’t defend myself? I’m no damsel in distress!” Keith smiles, clearly enjoying the situation until Coran joins in and a snowball fight between the paladins ensues. It is loud and fun. Everyone tries to beat all the others and no one notices that they are spotted by some locals.  
It is Cosmo who barks at them, small creatures about the size of children, vaguely humanoid but green and with kind of leaves instead of hair. They wear warm clothes made of felt or something similar. But they seem friendly. “Welcome, Paladins of Voltron!” one of the plant-aliens greets them. “We’re honoured to have you on our planet! Can we do anything to assist you?”

Keith clears his throat. He would love to push Shiro forth to do the talking but well, Shiro is not the black paladin anymore... So it is his job as the leader of Voltron to do the talking. He greets the person. “We are just here to refill our water supply”, he said.

“May we invite you to our village? You must be hungry!”

Keith looks at his friends. He doesn’t want to decide above their heads. They share looks and quietly agree to follow them. The lions have already set up their protective shields so they nod and follow the aliens. They are friendly. Their houses are wooden cabins covered in ice and snow and the windows are lit by candles. The leader of the aliens leads them to the biggest cabin and lets them inside. Another alien stands at a stove and grins at them. “Be welcome paladins! Take a seat and make yourselves a home,” they say. This species seems to be strangely genderless but Keith doesn’t want to ask about that. Everyone sits around the fireplace glad to get warm again. Of course the aliens want to know why they are here and what they are doing after having vanished from the universe for such a long time.  
Luckily they don’t have too many problems with the Galra here. Perhaps this planet is too uninteresting for them. They don’t have much to offer besides ice so everyone can just relax. 

The food they are offered is purely plant-based but it is quite good. Hunk asks for the recipe and sometime later Shiro and Keith sit side by side at a candle lit window and look out. It is nice to have a calm evening for once. They assume it will be one of their last.


	2. Day 02: Lion cub/too late (Zoo AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Shiro got to raise a lion cub

“We lose her!” 

“Where’s the vet? Where is Dr. Alfor?”

“On his way!”

Voices shouted through the lion house. The caretakers of the big cats hurried around in panic. One of the lionesses had gone into labour ahead of time just because an asshole visitor had made a fun of throwing a heavy stone at the animal which rested below him and injured the very pregnant animal. She was young and these were supposed to be her first cubs. And now this. Shiro frowned when he looked at her. He loved all his kittens: the lions and tigers and panthers and cheetahs... He almost felt the animal’s pain but he was unable to do something. She was aggressive and kept her caretakers away. 

Then finally the vet arrived. He had already been preparing to leave for the day but now getting home was out of question for him. He acted quickly with a light narcosis so that he could get near her to save the mother and her babies. But he was too late. In the end they lost the mother and could only save one of three cubs.  
Most of the co-workers had left when the zoo closed for the day but Shiro stayed. He had taken the surviving cub and dried it off with a towel while Alfor did the first paperwork for this tragic incident. “Let’s hope they have found the asshole who did this to her and they get punished.” He grumbled gently petting the dead animal’s fur.

Shiro nodded. “He needs food...” he said and pointed to the baby on his lap who had started to squeak.

Alfor nodded. “Let’s see if there is a chance that Sarabi accepts him...”

The two men got up and went further into the lion’s enclosure to find the experienced mother. When Shiro presented the helpless animal to her, at first she seemed curious as she sniffed at the baby, but then roared and tried to snap at it. Shiro barely managed to pull the cub back and press him to his chest. 

“I don’t think she will...” he stated and looked at the frightened animal in his arms which looked at him with too big pleading eyes. Those eyes remembered him of someone... a childhood friend who also had much to struggle after his mother left and father died. “I will take care of you, buddy. I’m here for you.”

Alfor smiled at the young man. “Come... I’ll give you some kitten milk. Will you take him home?”

“For the first time, yes. When he is strong enough he will get back here. I have a cat who can teach him cat things and can’t eat him. And I have cosy blankets for him... I have already cared for a young lion whose mother had rejected her after birth... She is well now.” Shiro explained.

“Good. Then do that. If you need any assistance call me any time.” Alfor said. Shiro wrapped the small animal into a fresh towel and they left so that Shiro could get his first stack of cat milk, a few supplies to feed the little one and Alfor’s phone number. Of course he fed the little lion right there for the first time. He cried so heartbreakingly.

Then he returned home and introduced the baby to his cat, Black, who was much more friendly towards him than Sarabi. She immediately started to lick the boy’s fur and took him under his wings. “This is Keith,” he told the cat. There was no other name for this guy who looked like he would fight the world to survive. Shiro thought back with a sting in his heart. He would love to know what had happened to his old friend, when he was given to an orphanage outside town. They had lost contact. Once more he looked through several social media to find him, with a now sleeping lion on his chest, but he didn’t find a trace of his old friend.

And so it happened that Shiro became the dad of a too young lion. He took care of him, at home first, he remodelled the guest room to a kitten room so that he could leave the little guy alone for a while. And he took him to work as well when he had to get there. Mostly he worked at home on raising Keith who grew very attached to him. Shiro loved him the same and the more Keith grew the more he loved to play with Shiro, always taking care not to accidentally hurt the human. Shiro was sure there was a strong bond growing between them.   
When Keith got older he returned to the zoo and got an enclosure of his own. Shiro could still see him every day and he spent much time with his friend who slowly began to grow a mane. Shiro was so proud. Black had started to teach the lion how to hunt early on and now Shiro took over to entertain him in lion style. He hoped that one day he could become part of the lions here even though he was raised by humans. But the hope was dim.

And Shiro didn’t get to see the day. On his way to work one Sunday morning in January he got into a car accident. A truck driver wasn’t able to stop his vehicle in time at a red light and fully hit Shiro’s car. It was a miracle that he survived. But he lost an arm. It took a long time for him to recover although a year later he got a prosthetic. A long time he could do nothing but fight for getting back on his legs and get used to a new life. He returned to his family in Japan for rehabilitation and especially emotional support. Of course he missed his lion in his zoo, but he didn’t feel in any state to return there soon. One day... one day he would.


	3. Day 02: Bar fight/It hadn't been planned like this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nice bar date ends in a desaster

It hadn’t been planned like this! Shiro brushed his metal hand through his white hair. A calm evening in a bar, one or two drinks a bit of dancing and then back home for a few hours keeping each other awake in bed... That had been the plan.  
But now he sat on a hard hospital chair and waited until the doctors had patched his boyfriend’s forehead up again. He tried to remember what had lead to this disaster.  
Everything had started as planned.

The moment Keith returned to their shared quarters at the Garrison they had prepared to leave for their little date in one of the rebuilt bars, they had sat together and drank a bit and talked about their day, the cadets, the other paladins’ and especially the space wolf’s antics and everything else that came to their mind.   
They had fun! 

“I love this song! You remember it?” Keith suddenly asked. 

“It was impossible to get around it at that time. How old were you? Ten? Twelve?”

“Around that age.” They laughed. “Wanna dance?”

Shiro grinned and nodded so that they could enter the small dance floor. It was fun; really fun to have a free night and no plans in the early morning. It didn’t happen too often that they could have some leisure time to enjoy themselves and enjoy being still young!

And Shiro had gotten daring and with the last notes pressed a kiss on Keith’s lips. They usually didn’t show their relationship this openly when they were out although they didn’t really keep it a secret as well. Their friends were the only ones who regularly saw them cuddling or kissing. 

Thinking back that kiss was probably the event that started everything. They returned to their seats holding hands and continued with their conversation until some drunken man stopped next to them.

“I don’t care that you’re considered heroes... or that you saved the earth from those aliens! I never want to see such disgusting things ever again!”

“What do you mean?” Shiro asked as politely as possible. 

“That! What you did out there!”

Shiro still didn’t get it, but Keith did. “Do you mean this?” he asked and leaned over the table to press a kiss on Shiro’s lips.

“Disgusting faggot!!!!” The man hollered and grabbed Keith’s collar. 

“Keith!” Shiro had quickly recovered from the sudden kiss. And now he was worried. His boyfriend wasn’t exactly sober anymore as well apparently. 

“I’ve got it, baby! Don’t worry!” He smiled but didn’t notice that the guy hauled off a blow to Keith’s stomach. 

Anger boiled inside Shiro. No one hit his Keith! He tried to separate the two but somehow was caught in the middle. By hindsight he didn’t even know how he stayed unharmed.  
And it didn’t stay with them three, other guests sided with the two paladins, very few others helped the drunken guy and again others just wanted to enjoy a good brawl.

He didn’t know how long it took but in the end they were forbidden to enter the bar ever again and he had to take Keith to the hospital due to a bleeding forehead and a few contusions. 

“At least the guy looks worse than I!” Keith slurred words caught him off guard and plopped onto his lap. He had returned from the doctor. “I’m free to leave. Let’s go home.”

Shiro sighed and got up, putting Keith back on his own two legs. “Yeah, Let’s go home. I’m tired.”

“I said nothing about sleep! I still want your hot body!”

“You just got into a fight and expect me to reward you for it like this? No, darling, we will return home and sleep! Nothing more.”

“We’ll see”, Keith slurred and yawned. “We’ll see!”

Shiro shook his head and called them a taxi to bring them home.


	4. Day 04: Nebula/Kimono

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro and Keith sort through Shiro's stuff to pack up for moving into an own flat together

Day 4 Nebula/kimono

“Why do you have so much stuff?” Keith complained. “I don’t even have half as much!! Do you really need all of this?”

“No. I told you I want to look through everything and sort stuff out.”

“And why do you need me for that?”

“You are here because I want you to have a word in this as well. If I want to throw something out you think would fit perfectly into our new flat, we can talk about it!”

What was so hard about this? They planned to move in together for quite some time now but until two weeks ago they hadn’t found a fitting place. But now they had found a nice flat in their price range not too far from their working place and started to sort through their stuff and get everything packed.

“I already told you I want to keep your bed and your space posters. Especially those of the colourful nebulas. We should also keep your cutlery and your porcelain. It’s nice and we don’t have to buy everything new. But the rest...”

Shiro sighed. “But I can’t take all my books with me. I don’t read most of them anymore anyway. So if you want one or the other tell me. And I want to sort through my wardrobe.”

“Okay... Let’s say I’ll pack what we need from the kitchen and look through your books and you look through your wardrobe. Keep your two comfy hoodies, though.”

“You mean the two that are basically yours?”

“Exactly. I don’t care about the rest. You’re always hot, no matter what you wear.”

Shiro smiled, pecked a cute kiss on Keith’s lips and vanished into the bedroom to start with his task and Keith started in the kitchen. His dog Kosmo had already stretched out on the couch. But they had already decided to buy a new one. Keith’s sleep sofa was too worn out and Shiro’s couch had also seen better days. They wanted something new in their living room. He hoped the dog would survive the loss.

Keith packed the cutlery in two of Shiro’s large lunch boxes to save space and also everything else he considered useful found its way into a large carton box. It was only when he got to the rice cooker that he hesitated. He didn’t need anything like this but he knew Shiro used it whenever he tried to prepare some Japanese food. On the other hand the device was also quite old, and he didn’t know if Shiro didn’t want a new one. So he went over to the bedroom to ask and almost dropped the rice cooker. “Shiro...” he said, voice cracking from the sight in front of him alone.

“Do you think I should keep it?” Shiro asked and lifted an arm to show Keith what he was wearing: A dark grey kimono with simple beige bamboo pattern on the hem and sleeves.

Keith put the kitchen device in his hands aside and strode over to his boyfriend. “Keep it” he said, his eyes roaming over Shiro’s form. “I... didn’t know you owned things like this.”

“I only have this one... It was my grandfather’s but... I don’t now... I never wear it and it’s a pity to keep it only in a corner of my wardrobe... I could sell it as well then...”

“Why? You... look hot!” Keith replied and closed the last distance between them just to kiss Shiro, slow, soft but with an undertone of longing. “So... damn hot”, he murmured against his boyfriend’s lips before pressing himself against him. 

He felt Shiro’s confusion and indeed the taller man separated from him. 

“Wait... Do you... Does this really turn you on?” he asked.

“Yeah. I didn’t know it would but... fuck! Shiro!” Keith’s voice was rough. His hands found Shiro’s waist and he pushed him to the very comfortable bed they both loved to spend many hours in. Packing could wait for another hour or so.


	5. Day 05: Stars/Sleet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long planned date under the stars has to be cancelled

He had been looking forward to this weekend for ages! He wanted to go out with Shiro! Go out of the city, with a tent and a campfire and marshmallows and whatever else... everything they needed for a date in the desert under the stars. It had been hard enough to get the same night off.   
Being Leader of Voltron and Captain of the Atlas led to packed schedules which led to almost no free time for both of them. Earth needed to build a defence as quickly as possible. Now that everyone knew about extraterrestrial life they were eager to start working for some protection in case other aliens wanted to attack. And since they were the most experienced men on the planet, they were constantly needed everywhere sometimes even at once.  
But no, this weekend they had fought to have for themselves! They had so little time together! Even when they returned home and fell into bed they were almost instantly asleep. They had planned everything out... when to meet, who organised what to eat and drink and for sleeping... So nothing could go wrong, right? Nothing stood between Shiro, himself and a night under the stars, right? RIGHT?

Wrong. Keith stood at the window in a very bad mood and stared out. Shiro wasn’t back yet and he had informed him that he would be later because thanks to the terrible sleet the roads were point-blank like an ice rink and Shiro had to drive very carefully if he wanted to come home in one piece.  
So they could forget their stargazing date... No one wanted to be out there under these conditions. Why did the desert abandon him like this?

He heard a quiet “poof” and soon had his space wolf at his side. He went to greet him but grimaced. “You’re cold and wet!” he complained. “Go get a towel so I can dry you off. Where have you been?” But to that question he didn’t get an answer.

The animal huffed once and tapered into the bathroom to return with one of their biggest, fluffiest towels.

“Of course you take this one.” Keith smiled and started to dry the animal’s fur mood getting a bit better. Yes, animals were great when you were in a bad mood.

“And what about me?” A voice interrupted their bonding moment.

Keith grinned. “Bring me a towel then, I’ll dry you off, too”, he said.

“I guess I’ll take a shower first to get warm. It doesn’t make any sense to dry me off twice.” 

Keith smiled and turned his head. “You look like you could need one...”

“It’s freezing...” Shiro said and went over to him to give him a sweet kiss.

“Even your lips are cold. Go shower!”

“Aye aye, Sir.” 

Shiro vanished to the bathroom and soon Keith could hear water running. He smiled a bit and continued drying his wolf, who soon had enough and brought Keith his brush.

“You really want to be spoiled tonight, huh?” He asked and began to brush the long fur of the animal. When he was almost done, the bathroom door opened and Shiro came out with nothing but a towel around his hips and another one in his hands. He dropped the towel in his hands on Keith’s lap and sat down next to him.

“I’m sorry that we can’t go out tonight...”

“It isn’t your fault the weather doesn’t play along...” Keith sighed and started to dry his boyfriend off as well. “I guess we have to spend our night off here...” he said and kissed Shiro again, slow, but demanding, towel gliding gently, almost teasing over Shiro’s skin. If he was rewarded with this sight and the chance to touch him like this, he could bear the lack of stars tonight. 

“Have you locked the door?” he asked. He really didn’t want anyone to want anything from them tonight just because they couldn’t leave.

“Of course I have. Tonight belongs to us.” Shiro replied and straddled his legs to push him backwards and deeply kissed him. Keith sighed. He was glad that Shiro understood as well how to make this evening at home nice.


	6. Day 06: Pineapple/Cliché

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt and Shiro sit in a bar and talk about Shiro's newly discovered favourite fruit.

Day 06: Pineapple/cliché

It began slowly. Shiro thought no one would notice but well... He should have known better. He knew his friends and especially Matt after all.

“Soooo... Are you finally dating Keith?” Matt asked one evening when they were out for a drink.

“What gives you the impression?” Shiro asked back with a frown taking a sip from his pina colada.

“I don’t know... Just... your behaviour lately.” Matt leaned on his hand and looked at his best friend.

“What do you mean? I don’t think I do anything unusual.” He took his work serious, got up at five, worked out, showered ate a few bites and from then on he dedicated himself to his duties at the Garrison: Tons of paperwork, training with Voltron and the MFE-pilots, important meeting, establishing earth’s defence systems and what else was asked of him. He ate lunch with the Voltron paladins and whenever he was free before sunset he went out with Keith for a hover bike race. But none of that was uncommon. He did that for quite a while now. That he lately expanded the time with Keith should have gone unnoticed. Of course the two leaders spent more or less much time together. Sometimes even after work before bed. But he didn’t think he ever gave many hints that there could possibly be more. They were friends for ages!

“ Oh, don’t act stupid. Look at your drink!”

“Matt, you’re not making sense... Right now I see two other people with the same drink.” Nothing was wrong with having a pina colada, right? “And don’t start with ‘That’s a girl’s drink...’”

“Shiro!! No, I don’t. I know you’re very gay and sometimes it shows, like today... I don’t mean that and you know that. It’s not just that...”

“Then what is it?” Shiro sighed and looked equally exasperated as Matt.

“Just admit it...”

Shiro looked wordlessly at his best friend.

“I mean your fruit salad at Allura’s birthday party was half pineapple. I mean it’s been a while since I’ve seen no pineapple in your kitchen. I mean you lately drink pineapple juice for lunch... your pineapple yoghurt... Even on PIZZA! Where does that new obsession come from?”

Shiro frowned. “Why should my newly discovered love for a fruit I didn’t get as a child say anything about my relationship status?” Shiro really hoped his cheeks only heated up because he had already emptied half his glass.

“Shiro... Please don’t play dumb. It’s cliché! Adam once told me he sometimes drank that stuff so that he wouldn’t taste so bitter in bed...”

“He told you?” Now Shiro was really surprised. He really thought that his intimate private life was his own and hadn’t gotten outside his quarters.

“I had asked him for advice once... But that’s not the topic now. So, you can admit it... You and Keith are a thing now, right?”

“Why do you think it’s Keith?” Shiro tried one last time to get Matt off his tracks although he already knew he had lost.

“Because he is the only one you let into your room at night. You are dedicated to your job but not so much that you start something new at half past eleven and call him to your rooms. Besides Pidge has told me he had loved you for a long time. We all would have noticed if he were broken hearted because you had someone else. So if there is any relationship it’s you two. And don’t think I hadn’t noticed your soft spot for him... So?”

Shiro sighed. “Fine... Yes, we are dating but we don’t want it to be a big deal and don’t want much gossip.”

“Then stop with the pineapple... I am not the only one who knows its effect on male ejaculate.”

“I won’t. He has a sweet tooth and his tongue is heav...” 

Matt abruptly got up. “I’m getting another drink. I’m certainly still too sober for that kind of information!”

Now Shiro really blushed. He obviously was already too drunk for that kind of talk. “And when you get back we talk about your love life now that you have picked mine apart!” he called after his best friend. Would be a shame if he couldn’t get some things out of Matt as well.


	7. Day 07: Crutches/lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A classical roleplay/fantasy journey. Or, is it?

Day 07: Crutches/lost

The party travelled through the land on a top secret mission to save their world and every other world in this universe with enemies on their heels. 

There was Keith the village boy who had been thrown out of his normal life – if they could trust his words. No one had ever seen his village.   
He had met his first companion, the half-elven paladin Shiro, a kind of luckless warrior, somewhere out in the wild. Shiro himself was on a quest for honour and glory and as everyone knew, simple farm boys on journeys often promised to become the heroes of their time. A bit later they picked up the too clever for her own good dwarf Pidge and the mediocre mage Hunk who in fact were on the trace of some underground danger threatening the whole universe. So the four ended up together because Keith couldn’t bear the thought of their world being destroyed. He seemed like a lone wolf but in his heart burned a strong fire of justice! And under Shiro’s more or less strict training he finally learned to wield a sword without stabbing himself or ridding himself of a finger. 

The group journeyed on: Through forests and plains and mountains and moors. They met different kinds of people and slowly found out more about their mysterious enemy who went by the name of Zarkon and his dubious goals. And they picked up the thievish werewolf Lance who proved himself to be good in picking locks and eavesdropping on important people. And for his loyalty he only wanted a few ear rubs and food from the group. Keith would never admit it, but he liked travelling with his new friends. This was so much better than his old life. Until one day...They were in the middle of a large forest when...

“Whhaaaat’s this?” Pidge asked. She had just found a mysterious treasure box of which many had been hidden in their world and provided them with armour, weapons, health potions and many, many other useful items. No one knew where these boxes came from. But when she opened this one she found... 

“Looks like a pair of crutches...” Keith deadpanned.

“You don’t say wise guy!” Pidge snarled back. “Not even of worth, right Lance?” She held out the sticks to the werewolf who sniffed on them and then shook his head. If they were of any worth he’d know it. “We’ll leave them here. Our inventory is already overly full.”

“But what if one of us suddenly breaks a leg?” Hunk chimed in. “Then they could use the crutches...”

“Or you could just heal them? You have magic? We have potions? No problem, no need for more stuff than necessary. Or do you want to carry them with you until with much misfortune someone happens to break a leg?” Pidge turned around and stomped away. The others looked at each other, shrugged and followed her. Thank god her legs were short and Shiro was not the worst tracker (Not the best either but it was enough) and they had soon caught up to her so that they could continue their way. Until...

“Does anyone know where we are?” Keith asked. The forest had become darker and that was not only because the sun was about to set. 

“I thought you did? You are our leader!” Lance said and leaned his head to the side. 

“Haaah? Since when? I’m just a guy on an adventure! You two are the ones with the bad guys we want to defeat! I have literally no sense of directions!”

“But you acted like our leader since I got to you! And you smell of importance!” Lance chimed in.

“I don’t!” Keith rebutted harshly and walked on, until Shiro stopped him.

“Keith! We need to be careful. We seemed to have lost our way. We must not get separated.”

“At once this Paladin says something of worth...” Pidge said. “We need to get out of here. And then find a village so that we can learn where we are... My god, is it that hard?”

“Apparently,” Hunk said and mention in one direction. “I think we should go that way.”

“And why?”

“My gut-feeling. And you know my gut is always right!” Hunk slapped his tummy with a hand.

“I don’t wanna trust any gut... Let’s rest here for the night and go on tomorrow.”

And that’s what they did.  
The next morning they continued their way and went through the forest for another three days until they finally found their way out. And after they left the woods Keith grew awfully quiet. Even more than usual. Shiro put his arm around his waist (No, Pidge told herself, don’t get mad at them for getting together without telling anyone!) to ask if he was alright.

He just nodded and led the way. He seemed to know the area.

On their way they met a magnificent carriage in front of an inn. And Keith paled. They had wanted to stay the night there. “There’s another one not too far away. Let’s rest there...” he proposed. 

“And why’s that?” Pidge asked.

“Because I say so! You want me to be your leader against my will so do what I say!” Keith snapped and turned around... and bumped into someone so that he fell on his butt.

Instantly Shiro was at his side to protect him from any harm and helped him up.

“Keith? Your Highness? Is it really you? And what are you wearing? That’s not appropriate for someone in your position!!”

“Hello Coran, Bye Coran. We’re on our way to save the world, s don’t stop us. Say hi to father from me. In case he’s interested I’m fine!”

“I am interested!” A tall man wearing the finest clothes and a crown appeared. “Why did you run away, son?”

Keith sighed. “Because I’m done. This is who I am: An adventurer. I wanna be out here and not in there,” he vaguely waved his hand in the direction of the royal palace they had passed just yesterday.

“You should have said something instead of slipping away. I wouldn’t have kept you from it.”

Keith looked at the man – apparently the king – in shock. “You wouldn’t?

“Of course not When I was your age I went on adventures as well. Or how did you think I met your mother? The Galra realm isn’t close by...”

“I... forget it... So we can continue our journey?”

“Tonight you’ll rest here and tell me about your adventures and how you managed to get your hands on such a beautiful man!” the king replied and motioned to Shiro who had protectively put his arm around him.

“So...” Pidge chimed in. You are the prince?”

Keith shrugged. “I don’t care of a title. I am who I am and I am how you know me. “

“You... bastard!” the dwarf cursed.

“My prince!” Shiro fell to his knees. “I will protect you at all cost!”

“You already do and now stand up... nothing changes...” Keith rolled his eyes and waited expectantly.

When Shiro had stood up again, they entered the guesthouse.

“Hello Gentlemen...” Keith turned his head and looked at an old woman at the first table at the door. “This old woman needs help walking home. You don’t happen to have a pair of crutches on you?”

Pidge screamed in despair.


	8. Day 08 - Moonlight/flat tyre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel of day 5: They finally have their stargazing date... or do they?

Day 08 – moonlight/flat tyre

Two months have passed since the busted desert date. And finally, finally they were able to get another chance of a date outside the city! And this time everything would go smoothly, Keith told himself. They had borrowed one of the garrison’s vans; their food, the camping supplies and Keith’s old telescope were packed. They had thought about taking the hover bikes but with all the stuff they needed it wouldn’t be too comfortable riding them. But they wouldn’t let that ruin their fun: Finally! Finally a date without interruption. The space wolf had curled up at Keith’s feet as Shiro steered the vehicle to their planned camping spot.

Keith had almost fallen asleep through the gentle music coming from the radio when the van suddenly started to shake and Shiro hit the brakes.

“Shit!”

Keith was instantly awake. When Shiro started to curse something terrible had happened.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“I... guess we have a flat tyre.” Shiro replied and got off the vehicle to take a look.

And in fact when Keith followed him, he also saw the problem. They couldn’t continue like that.

“Fuck... And now?” Keith asked and leaned at Shiro’s shoulder who put his floating arm around him.

“We have to call the garrison so that someone comes pick us up...” Shiro said.

“Don’t wanna...”

“Keith... Or at least that they bring us another vehicle...”

“I don't wanna see any people anymore!” Keith pouted.... “Last time the weather killed our plans, now this... Which god is against us? We do everything to save the universe and establish a peaceful alliance! Don’t we deserve a break from time to time as well?” Keith complained and looked up to the sky. They were far enough from the city and had a good view to the clear sky. A crescent moon barely lit the sky and their surroundings.

Shiro sighed. “Okay. I managed to stop the van at the side of the road... so what do you think of staying here and call them tomorrow? This isn’t our usual spot, I know, but...”

“But it’s better than nothing... you’re right...” Keith sighed.. So they got their stuff out of the truck and prepared their camp not too far away from the road. While Keith built up the tent Shiro looked for wood and started a fire.

Keith joined him and when the flames were hot enough they started with their barbecue. Keith had found a place in Shiro’s arm and they had a woollen blanket around their shoulders so they didn’t get cold in the desert night. They looked at the stars and at one point, their food was gone beside the few things they had brought for breakfast, Keith had built up his telescope and they took turns watching the sky. They looked at Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and its rings, they even thought they found the moon they had parked the lions on when they had returned to earth and had to fight off the Galra. They looked at Orion’s amazing nebulas and the Andromeda galaxy. And of course they looked at earth’s moon and its beauty.

“Let’s go there for our next date! The lions won’t fail us!” Keith proposed.

“The moon?”

“Yes! The moon! We’ve been to so many different planets throughout our universe but I’ve never set a foot on the closest thing to earth! AND! There are no clouds on the moon to prevent us from stargazing!”

Shiro laughed quietly and hugged him tightly from behind and placed his chin on Keith’s shoulder. 

“Then we’ll go to the moon next time.”

“Great!” Keith turned his head to steal a kiss from Shiro’s lips.

The wolf barked next to them.

“Yes, you can come as well.” Keith promised but then turned around in his lover’s arms and pulled him into a proper kiss. They were not only here to look into the stars.


	9. Day 09: Chestnuts/I don't want to go home (Childhood AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith doesn’t like living with his foster family. Thank god there is his close friend Shiro!

Day 09: Chestnuts/I don’t want to go home

The day came to an end. The sun was about to set but the boy didn’t care. He sat at the playground. Alone. As he had been most of the afternoon. The other children who had been here today with their parents had already left. His foster mom brought him here and expected him to return when he was hungry. He was hungry, but he didn’t really like it at home. He knew his foster mom cared more about the younger girl she and her husband had taken in a year ago.   
He had his chestnuts and played with them. He wanted to build animals with them as they had done at school, but his foster mom didn’t want him to do anything that produced any form of dirt.

“Keith?” A well-known voice caught his attention.

“Shiro!”

“Shouldn’t you be home?”

“I don’t wanna go home…” Keith said and greeted Rover, the Labrador mix Shiro often took for a walk. The dog barked and wagged its tail, happy to see him.

“Again?” The four years older boy asked worriedly.

Keith nodded. “She brought us here and then left with Nyma when I didn’t wanna go with them.”

Shiro crouched down to be on Keith’s eye level. “I see. Shall I drop a message and you stay with us tonight? It’s weekend after all!”

He nodded without much hesitation.

Shiro took out his phone and wrote a text message to Keith’s foster mom.

“Can we take the chestnuts with us?” Keith asked.

“Do you wanna build a zoo with them?” Shiro’s eyes started to sparkle.

“YES! A whole zoo!!” Keith found that idea even better than his own of just a few animals.

“Then let’s do this! But then we need more chestnuts. Let’s collect them on our way home!” 

The two boys got up and started their way home. Shiro called to inform everyone that he would bring Keith along. 

Six-year old Keith and his friend picked up chestnuts under every tree they found until they couldn’t carry any more. They laughed and joked with each other no one could assume that both of them were through so much in their young lives.  
They had been in the same orphanage and had become close friends there. And then Shiro had been taken in by his foster family and the contact broke. But after Keith had found his own foster family they had met again at this playground.   
By then Shiro’s foster family, the Holts, had officially adopted him because he went along so well with everyone. He and his siblings Matt and Katie were close friends and Keith had first envied him for that. But since they were also nice to him and let him come over whenever he wanted that envy had long gone and he loved playing with them!

They didn’t even make it home alone, when Colleen Holt, Shiro’s new mother, came to them and held out a plastic bag. Shiro had told her about their plans. They filled the chestnuts into the bag and collected even more together.  
The sun had set when they arrived home and Colleen sent them up to wash their hands.

They went to Shiro’s and Matt’s room where the other boy was sitting over his studies but looked up.

“Ah, a well-known voice. Hi Keith! How are you? Will you stay the night?” he asked.

“I’m okay. Yes. You wanna make a chestnut zoo with us? Pidge can join in, too!”

“Yeah! I’ll go get her!”

So the four of them spent their evening creating their zoo only interrupted by their dinner, but then they immediately continued. They made elephants and giraffes and lions and tigers and horses and dogs and cats and everything they could think of.

When it was time for bed, Keith got into the pyjamas he had always here and crawled into Shiro’s bed as he always did, when he slept here. He loved the older boy so much and was glad to have him as his best friend. When he felt Shiro’s arms around him he could always sleep the best!


	10. Day 10: Cloud mountains/Cleaning up (Zoo AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro returns to the zoo and hopes to see his lion again. And he gets even more than just one Keith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay but I had to work a double shift yesterday and reeeally didn't feel like starting the laptop and proofread the chapter. So here you are today. I try to catch up later today so that I'm back on time.

Day 10: cloud mountains/cleaning up

The man whistled while he strolled through the zoo. The sun was shining and the clouds raised high like mountains and white like candy cotton. The man smiled. Much has changed in the three years he hadn’t been here. He looked at every enclosure. Many had been renovated; the animals had more space and could hide from the visitors. A chance his babies didn’t have three years ago. He thought back to the pregnant lioness they lost due to a cruel visitor. He had heard the lions had more space now, too, and he was so looking forward to seeing it in person. But first he visited many of the other animals. No one recognized him. He saw a few of his former co-workers but they were busy and Shiro didn’t want to interrupt them. Perhaps later. At first he wanted to visit the lions; especially the lion cub that survived. Was he still here? He had taken care of him and raised him until he had the accident that had cost him his arm. Now with his new prosthetic he felt better, mentally more stable than before and ready to live on his own again here in the town he called home.

He saw the new lion enclosure and was proud of what they did of it. The animals should like it! The lionesses were sleeping on a rock and five cubs were playing together in the grass. It was a beautiful sight and Shiro’s heart grew warm. But he noticed that people gathered on the enclosure next to the lionesses and their young so Shiro went over to have a look.  
A man in the zoo’s uniform stood in the enclosure, next to him on the grass was a beautiful male lion who lazily looked around and gnawed on a piece of meat. Shiro’s heart pounded. Could it be…?

He looked at the caretaker. A man with shoulder long pitch black hair and dark eyes as far as he could see. He seemed vaguely familiar as well.

“Keith here has been raised by hand which is the only reason I’m inside here and this close to him.” He smiled – it looked a bit studied and forced, a man who wasn’t used to talking to other humans. 

Shiro didn’t care. He couldn’t even hide his grin. So his baby was still here and well and had a caretaker who preferred his animals’ presence over humans.   
He listened to what the man explained. They had kept Keith out of pity but because he was so used to humans it was impossible to integrate him into a group of lions. But he was friendly and well-loved by the visitors so they had decided to give him a nice life.

But when he ended, Shiro went to the employee’s entrance of the lion house to wait for the caretaker. He really wanted to see his lion again. And not from the visitor’s fence. He didn’t think he would remember him, but he wanted to say hi to the animal he had raised with all his love.

“Hi”, Shiro said when the door opened and the man came out.

“Visitors are not allowed inside.” The man frowned and now from this close Shiro noticed the unique colour of his eyes.

“Keith? You... are Keith Kogane, right?”

“How do you... wait... Shiro?” The young man’s eyes widened. 

“It’s been a while!” Shiro grinned. What a coincidence!

“Oh my... Really? Do you want to catch up somewhere? I’m done with cleaning up for today.”

“I’d love to, but I’d love to see Keith first... The lion I mean.”

“Visitors are not allowed inside. Not even if I know you.”

“Keith... let me...”

“Shiro!” A familiar voice from behind him interrupted “Back to visit your baby?”

“Alfor! So you’re still here!” Shiro shook the man’s hand.

“Strong grip for an artificial arm.” Alfor said as he released his grip.

“I’m sorry... It’s still sometimes hard to control it.

“It’s fine.”

Shiro smiled a bit. “To answer your question: Yes, I’m here for my baby.”

“Strange that his new caretaker shares his name, right?”

Shiro smiled fondly. “It is a strange coincidence. This is indeed the man whose name the lion bears.”

“What? You are?”

“I am?” Keith looked at Shiro.

“Yeah. He had the same fire in his eyes as you when we were kids. The same unbreakable will to survive and to fight. I looked at him and I knew that he is a Keith.” 

“So... you...”

“I’m his step dad. Still refuse to let me see him and say hello?”

“Oh god... of course not. Come.”

Alfor said his goodbyes. He had only seen Shiro and had to say hi. The other two men entered the building.

“Wow much has changed since I was last here.”

“They were building this up when I came.” Keith said. “I’m sorry... about your arm... I’ve heard what happened to my predecessor. I just... didn’t know it was you...”

“It’s fine. Life happens. I guess I got used to my artificial limb right now.”

“I see... You need to tell me more later. If you want to of course. I don’t wanna open wounds again. Here we are,” Keith said and they stood in the back of the enclosure.

“Keith!” Shiro called and immediately had the lions’ attention. “Baby come here!” he called again and in a matter of seconds the lion was inside and jumped up the bars and hugged Shiro through it.

“Oh god, you still know who I am! I’m back baby I’m back! It’s so good to see you!!” Shiro returned the hug and buried his hands and face in Keith’s mane. “I’ve heard you are fine? Is Keith nice to you? I hope he is or I will have to scold him!”

The lion of course said nothing. He just ran around like crazy and returned to Shiro and it was clear how happy the animal was whenever Shiro reached out for him to pet him.

“Of course I’m nice to him. You’ve raised him well! Who cannot be nice to such a good boy?”

Shiro laughed and got a box out of his bag. “May I give him a treat?” he asked Keith. “It’s fresh...”

“I should say no, you know...”

“Then I accept it. You’re his caretaker now and it’s your word that counts.”

“You raised him. You have taken care of the lions long enough to know what you can give them. And you are his dad. Who am I to deny a father to spoil his son?” Keith laughed.

“Thank you.” Shiro grinned and fed the few bits of fresh meat to the lion who enjoyed the little extra food.

“Will you be here more often?” Keith asked.

“Yeah. I’m back for good. I’ll apply for the free job with the birds. They aren’t as dangerous as our kitties.”

“That’s good, and then we can meet more often!”

“Yeah. What do you think of having dinner tonight? My treat?”

“I can afford my own food!”

“I know. But I’m happy that my lion is happy and that it is you who takes care of him. So please let me invite you!”

Keith hesitated. But then he nodded. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”


	11. Day 11: Mororbike/Fairy lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance thinks it's fun to decorate Keith's beloved bike

Day 11: Motorbike/fairy lights

“You know, Lance, Keith will kill you...”

“Oh come on! It’s fun!”

“I warned you!”

An hour later Shiro leaned back at the wall and watched the spectacle in front of his eyes. Lance was running away from Keith who chased him over the parking lot. It was snowing and a thin layer of white already covered the ground. Everything was illuminated by the fairy lights that decorated Keith’s bright red motorbike – the reason Keith was after Lance’s ass right now. No one was allowed to touch this bike without him around and his explicit permission.   
Shiro wore his warmest clothes, arms crossed at his chest and he smiled. He had warned Lance that decorating Keith’s bike was a bad idea, but the guy hadn’t wanted to listen. He had been convinced Keith would like to find his baby being so prettily illuminated with fake fir on the handlebar and everything.   
He was now learning the hard way that Shiro knew Keith much better and that it would be wise to listen to his warnings.

“Don’t break your legs!” he called at them. “I don’t wanna call an ambulance.”

“You could help me!” Both of the other men shouted in unison.

Shiro shook his head. This was none of his business and he would never want to get into one of Lance’s and Keith’s quarrels. But sometimes it was quite fun to watch them, like today.   
When both of them were out of breath and Lance promised to never touch his bike again, they called it a draw and Keith ignored Lance while he stalked over to his poor baby to take all the decoration off again.

“We’ll be late to Allura’s birthday if you take everything off again.” He reminded Keith.

“Oh you shut up, you traitor! You could have helped your boyfriend for once!”

Oh so Keith played this card again.

“To be honest... I like how it looks.”

“It’s hideous. And it calls ‘I’m here! Steal me!’ I’m taking it off! If you wanna go ahead feel free to accompany the idiot who is responsible for the delay.”

“Baby, and what about you? You don’t plan to follow us with your bike!?”

“And what if?” Keith pouted in a bad mood and took all the pretty lamps off his beloved vehicle.

“Keith, be responsible... I bet you’re gonna drink and you know I won’t allow you to drive your bike home when you have drunk. And look at the weather.” He came close to his boyfriend and reached out to caress his cheek but he swatted the hand away.

“Okay, I get it... But please, take care, okay?” Shiro said gently. He didn’t want to patronize Keith. They were all old enough to know what they were doing. “I love you.” He smiled. “You really don’t wanna come along?”

“No.” Keith spat with a little less venom in his voice. 

Shiro smiled and pressed a kiss against Keith’s temple. “I’ll be waiting.”

Keith arrived half an hour after Shiro and Lance, still in a bad mood but he pulled himself together so he didn’t ruin Allura’s 21st birthday party. 

“Hey Keith! Your bike looked glorious!” James called from his corner where he drank on a cheap beer.

“Shut up, Griffin. And how...”

He looked at Shiro who stood nearby in Allura’s living room. “You’ve taken pictures?” he asked and turned around to get his own drink when he realized Shiro did. Something stronger than beer, as Shiro noted.

“Hey, I think it looked good. Although I warned him that you wouldn’t like the idea.” He nodded in Lance’s direction who was close to Allura to let her console him from the terrible hunt. Keith snorted. “But look.” Now that Keith had calmed down a little he showed him the pictures he had made.   
Keith didn’t react visibly, but Shiro could read in his eyes that he agreed. They stayed late, drank – or well, Keith drank. It had been Shiro’s car he and Lance had used to get here. Keith’s bad mood vanished at one point and he reached that stage of drunkenness that made him affectionate and clingy. None of their friends escaped his cuddle attacks. Not even Lance who seemed to be forgiven for his motorbike decoration.  
Of course Shiro was the last Keith clinged to. Arms slung around his neck he pressed himself close to Shiro.

“Hey, we should go home soon.” Shiro proposed when he felt Keith’s lips on his neck marking him.

“Hmm.” Keith just replied without getting off his task.

“We can get your bike tomorrow first thing in the morning.” But Keith was drunk and it hadn’t stopped snowing. There was no way for Shiro to let him drive home by himself under these conditions.

“Came with taxi.” Keith slurred. “Didn’t want you to worry!”

Shiro’s heart grew warm, that Keith really listened to his worries. So he would take good care of his idiotic boyfriend tonight. He deserved it despise his temper rising earlier.  
They went over to Allura to say their goodbyes. Lance looked like he’d stay the night anyway, the way he had lazily slung his arm around Allura’s waist.  
So they left.

“Guess Lance got the biggest present tonight,” Keith mumbled when they both got into Shiro’s car.

“You’re right. He’s loved Allura for so long!”

He took Keith’s hand and laced their fingers while the rest of him concentrated on driving.


	12. Day 12: DVD evening/Pencil case (childhood AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Keith got to decide the movie of the Holt's family evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not proofread... I'm sorry...

Day 12: Pencil case/DVD evening

“Harry Potter!”

“Lord of the Rings!”

“Narnia!!!”

“Harry Potter!”

“Oh come on kids! If you keep on discussing you won’t be able to watch any movie!” Colleen Holt said to her three children. Sam Holt kept out of the discussion. He would watch whatever his family decided on his rare day off.

“But moooom! I wanna watch the Lord of the Rings! We haven’t watched it all year!!” Pidge protested. “And Matt already chose last time’s movie! And Shiro the time before!”

“And you always steal our movies to watch them!” 

Before the siblings could really start to fight, the doorbell rang. 

“Huh?” Colleen asked and went to open the door. They weren’t expecting any guests.

A few minutes later she reappeared with Keith at her hand; Keith who had obviously been crying and Shiro’s protective instinct kicked in. He couldn’t bear to see Keith suffering. So he went to him and hugged him which Keith instantly returned. Shiro’s hands wandered over the younger boy’s back and he winced.

“Did she... beat you again?” he asked quietly. And Keith nodded.

“I... wanna stay here... I don’t wanna go back...”

“I know, I know. Tonight you stay with me!” Keith nodded and let himself be held for a while.

When he calmed down Katie went over and smiled at the boy who was a bit older than her. “Which movie do you want to watch?”, she asked. “Lord of the Rings? Harry Potter? Narnia?”

Keith looked at the girl. “We were discussing before you came.” 

He gulped and needed a few seconds before he could get back from hating his life to the dreamlike reality with the Holts who always took care of him whenever he needed it.

“I can decide?” He asked a bit insecurely.

“Yes. You’re our guest!” Pidge said with a grin.

Keith looked at Matt who nodded as well.

“Then... I wanna watch Star Wars. If it’s okay...”

“Of course it is!” Shiro smiled. Of course Keith chose some space stuff. That was his best friend.

So Sam went to Keith and together they chose the exact movie of the many from the Holt’s large DVD collection. Then he held out a metal pencil case and opened it. It contained different kinds of bonbons and other little sweet treats. “Here have a comfort treat! That will make you feel better!” 

Keith looked at it disbelieving but after a nod from Sam he took a bonbon. “Thank you!” he said and smiled a bit when he opened it and put it into his mouth.

Sam beamed. “See, it’s already working.” He ruffled through Keith’s hair and then left him in Shiro’s care as he went to prepare the DVD and handed the remote control to Matt. Pidge had gotten them some snacks and Colleen came with drinks for everyone.

The kids cuddled together on the big couch when they started the movie. Shiro noticed that Sam and his wife were quietly and seriously talking about something and he thought he might have heard Keith’s name but then the intro melody started and he concentrated on the movie. Keith had cuddled to his side and the Holt siblings were also snuggled together, a bowl of popcorn was in the middle of the couch so that everyone could reach it. Shiro watched the movie but also had a look on Keith. He wanted his friend to be happy. If only the Holts could take him in as well! Here he wouldn’t have to suffer... He took a deep breath. It was impossible. He tried to concentrate on the movie. Of course he had already watched it a few times. And Keith loved it. He loved everything with space. And for the moment he seemed to have forgotten what had just happened. He pulled his friend closer and enjoyed the movie. Some day he would know how he could help Keith.


	13. Day 13: Whirlpool/Bad day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a bad day. Thank god he has a loving boyfriend who knows how to take care of him

Day 13: Whirlpool/bad day

What a shit day! First thing in the morning: he nearly slipped on his way to work. He barely caught himself. They were in Arizona!!! It shouldn’t be this cold and then even snow! Then the heating didn’t work and he felt like an icicle. His boss had caught him cursing in front of a customer and asked him for a serious talk... At lunch he noticed he had left his food at home so now he was not even frozen but also starving. 

Keith couldn’t wait to get home. But of course today he was half an hour later than usual and was caught in the rush hour. It took him almost forever when he got off his way too old car and entered his house. He was still freezing when he called the elevator. Which didn’t come. Out of order... again... Of course... So he climbed all the stairs to the fifth floor looking for his keys... which weren’t in their pocket. And not in his bag. And... Oh... he left them at work... He had needed to empty his pockets. His boss had been too curious and assumed someone would steal... He had been too lazy to stuff everything back into his pockets and so the keys were still in his drawer. He cursed inwardly and rang the doorbell, already fearing Shiro wasn’t home and he had to wait here in the staircase where it was cold. 

He rang again but then Shiro opened. “Keith? Have you lost your keys?”

“Forgot them. Don’t ask! I’m starving and freezing and bah.”

The taller man smiled. “Then come in and let me lift your mood.” He smiled gently and took Keith’s jacket.  
The flat was warm! Keith shivered as the cold slowly, very slowly vanished. “First dinner or first bath?” Shiro asked.

He thought. “First a snack then bath!”

“As you wish!” Shiro grinned and went to the kitchen, where he got them two bowls of fruit salad. God, this was so sweet! “That...”

“I thought you could need a few vitamins.”

There was no way to suppress a smile. “You are the best!”

“I hope I am!” Shiro grinned and now dared to steal a kiss from Keith.

When their fruit bowls were empty Shiro led him to the bathroom where he lit a few candles and filled their large bathtub.

“Will you join me?” Keith asked hopefully.

“Of course. Everything for you!”

They started to undress and Keith helped Shiro to take off his prosthetic which didn’t like being soaked. If Shiro spoiled him this much he could do something for him as well and if it was only cleaning the artificial limb for him and recharging the battery for the next day. When he returned the tub was full and Shiro had even started the whirlpool function. Keith’s eyes started to sparkle when he found his boyfriend already sitting in the hot water. 

“Do you continue to stare at me or do you want to join me?” Shiro teased and it took only a few seconds for Keith until he stood in the hot water and hissed. Damn, he knew his body had cooled down and now the water felt too hot. It took a while for him to get used to the temperature and of course Shiro couldn’t withstand to touch his long legs as he stood in front of him. Shiro could never resist touching him.

After very few minutes he risked to sit down and snuggled into his boyfriend’s arms. “How do I deserve that?” he asked as he felt Shiro’s arm sneaking around his waist.

“You had a shitty day. I want your night to be better.” Shiro murmured into his ear, voice lowered promising.

Keith took a deep breath. Damn. This voice always did things to him. He pressed his back more to Shiro’s chest and closed his eyes. “Shiro?”

“Let me take care of you.” Shiro said, his hand already gliding up and down his upper body and almost accidentally brushing over his nipples. God, if this day had been hell this was heaven.

“You can’t wait until we’re in bed, can you?” he asked and turned his head far enough that he could pull Shiro into a longing kiss.

“You don’t feel like you want to wait this long.” Shiro smirked against his lips. “And I know your stamina. You won’t be satisfied with getting off only once!” Slowly his hand glided lower. “So if you really have any objections of me touching you right here, say it now.”

How could Keith have any objections? He pulled Shiro into another deep longing kiss which had to be enough of giving his consent and a few seconds later he could feel Shiros hand between his legs. Yes, it had been a terrible day, but the night promised to be fun!


	14. Day 14: Adoption/Family visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On a visit at his foster dad's family Keith meets someone who might change his life.

Day 14: Adoption/Family visit

Keith was twelve years old when he stumbled over his mom. His real mom! The woman who had given birth to him. The woman of whom he thought did not care about him at all, who had abandoned him!  
It had been such a strange coincidence. His foster family had taken him along for a family visit as they did every year. He dreaded it. His foster dad’s parents were wealthy but as superficial as their son. Of course they had encouraged him to take in the children but more for social reputation than to give parentless children a good home until they found a good family or were coming of age.  
Keith hated those visits. He hated to behave, to act like a well-raised kid. Nyma could do it all. She was obedient (at least on the outside. Keith knew she was a tiny devil inside... She always let him feel that she was liked by the foster parents who already talked about whether they should adopt her.)  
But he? He fell through. He was too rebellious. By now he spent much time at the Holt’s and with Shiro. He hated it at home and now he had to be away for two whole weeks during summer. His foster dad’s family lived in Seattle and Keith missed the heat of the Arizona sun. It was summer! It was supposed to be hot! Really hot! And not the lousy 77 degrees that it had here.  
So his mood was bad and he let his so-called family feel it.

Thank god there was the maid, a woman of about thirty years. She was kind to him, always had been. She gave him an extra piece of chocolate which Nyma always got and he never. She took a few minutes to sit with him and play. Keith, despite his youth could see that she had had a troubled life as well, but he never asked her about it. He was more in need of comfort, they both concluded.

At one point Keith started to help her with her chores. He had to do so at home as well so he didn’t think much of it and ignored all the comments about cleaning must be his place. They didn’t get it. They didn’t get him. They didn’t want to get him...  
But Krolia did! He didn’t know how it happened but he started to open up to her. Told her how much he loathed being with these people who treated him like shit and showed him how much he didn’t fit in on a daily basis.

“I don’t get why people treat children like this...” Krolia said. “They are a gift! You are a gift, Keith!” She smiled and brushed her fingers through his hair. They were sitting at the front porch in the sun during her short lunch break.

“Do you have children?” he suddenly asked.

She looked down on the grass. Then she slowly shook her head, pressed her lips together. “No. Not anymore...”

“What do you mean?”

“I... was pregnant. I had a son. He must be your age now. But I was only eighteen. His father was a bit older and had a job. So when we had to move here, my son stayed with him. We stayed in contact of course but from one day to the other it broke. I stopped receiving letters and never heard of my son again. I... don’t know what happened to him.”

“Do... you still think of him?” Keith asked.

“Yes. I... I imagine what his life looks like. I hope he’s happy... has friends... enjoys his life...”

Keith nodded. “He would love you! I’m sure of it.” He liked this woman who was so warm towards him. Did he remind her of her son? “What is his name?”

“It’s funny... His name is Keith as well.” They laughed because of that coincidence. But Keith was not a very rare name.

Then she returned to her work and left him on the porch. He was thinking. If only she could be his mother!

~~~

“Say, Keith... When is your birthday?” Krolia asked. Keith’s stay here was almost over. They would leave the next day.

“October 23rd.” Why did she ask? It was of no importance.

She raised an eyebrow. “Were you born in Austin, Texas?”

“Yes. How do you know?” He had never told that anyone. If anyone asked him he’d say he was from Arizona.

“And your dad was a fire-fighter as you said. His fist name didn’t happen to be Heath?”

“What? Yes... Born on April 3rd...”

Krolia shook her head disbelieving. Was she tearing up?

“What is it? Krolia?” Keith wanted to know what was going on. How did she know... these things? Or... They had talked much about family, his family and hers. Could it be that she had puzzled things together? They were not unsimilar when he looked at her he found features he also saw in the mirror, and she had a small heart-shaped birthmark behind her right ear... could it be... “Mom?”

She nodded. “Yes... yes! May I... hug you?”

He did it for her. It was strange having someone else than Shiro hug him but it was... nice. Having a mother was... nice. Although it was hard to believe. They both cried a bit. “Let me take you in!” She said when she let go of him again. “I... want you to be happy! I can’t afford much but...”

“I...” That was a bit sudden. “I need to think about it... Talk to Shiro...” The first thing he thought of was his best friend. He wouldn’t be able to see him this often if he lived with his mother. A person he barely knew. And Shiro was his oldest and best friend... And perhaps by now he had a tiny innocent crush on him.  
anted to live with he  
“I see. I’ll give you my number and address. Let’s stay in contact?”

“Yes!” Of course! He wanted to stay in contact with Krolia! His mom! If he really wr... he still needed to decide.


	15. Day 15: Wolf/Empty battery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set post S7. A simple mission leads Keith through the universe to his almost certain death o a planet without food, drink and which is draining all electric devices from theri energy.

Day 15: Wolf/Empty battery 

Fuck... Keith cursed inwardly. He was somewhere in the middle of nowhere and everything, all his communication devices had died. Small but important mission they had said. On Earth they had said. And now?  
He was on an unknown planet without food or water. Somehow the surroundings seemed to drain all technical device of their energy. His lion was still on earth somewhere on the other end of the universe; if she would be here before he himself had withered to a mummy was unknown... Small mission my ass... It was an odyssey he was through! From Earth to Mars to Arus to Olkarion and many other planets he knew and didn’t know and now he was here in a dead end without any method to contact his friends. He tried everything. Called his lion, called the space wolf... Shiro... who would be the last to help him. Or rather the last who’d be able to help him. He’d want to, he knew that.

Keith sat down on the ground leaning on a large tree and looked into the greenish cloudy sky. If only he’d taken his lion with him then he’d not be in this position. He thought back what a fucked up situation!

He closed his eyes and thought back to his departure. He had talked to Shiro.

“Keith... Take care, okay? I... Atlas and I have a bad feeling about this.”

Keith laughed. “What can go wrong? I’ll take a fighter and go to Madagascar, look what emits the strange signal, take it off and then return. No problem. I’ll be back for dinner. Keep it warm for me!” he winked and put his hand on Shiro’s shoulder as the taller man had always done for him.

Then he turned around to get to his jet. 

“Keith?”

He turned around and looked at his best friend. “Yeah?” Shiro seemed serious.

“Come back. When you return I have something important to tell you.”

Keith looked at him in confusion but then shrugged and nodded. “As I said: Keep my dinner warm!”

By now his dinner was cold at least. Probably even started to live. What was it Shiro had wanted to tell him? He seemed so serious but his eyes... his eyes had been so soft on him. He wanted to be at Shiro’s side... Wanted to hug him, to tell him what he felt... That his love for him was not a brother’s love... That he wanted to hold him, kiss him... fall asleep next to him and... everything in between. He loved Shiro so much... Would he ever see him again?

He closed his eyes and let the tears fall. He missed home... home... was earth home? No... Shiro... Shiro was his home. He wanted to be at Shiro’s side... But... He couldn’t... He couldn’t even give a message out to give out his position. Whoever had been behind this had just effectively beheaded Voltron. He hoped they would find a new black paladin. Someone worthy of his proud, beautiful lioness he had come to love so much after he had grown into his role. Even if it turned out to be Griffin... He still couldn’t stand the guy but he knew he was a good pilot and strong person who was able to put all grudges aside when necessary.

He sighed. He missed his friends. Were they worried? The other paladins? Pidge? Hunk? Allura? He missed them. Even Lance, no matter how obnoxious he used to be, now he was his closest friend right after Shiro! He could need his chatter right now! Anything to distract him from his dark thoughts. Perhaps he should just accept that he would never see any of them again.

*Poof*

Keith looked up. “Wolf?” he asked. Did he already start to hallucinate from hunger and thirst?

“Woof!” A second later Keith had long bluish fur in his hand and his wolf close in his arms. 

“Thank god! You’re here! I’ve missed you so much!” Relief washed over him and he felt new tears pricking in his eyes.

“Bring me home!” he cried.

With another *poof* they vanished and the next thing he felt was soft fabric under him. It was warm and it seemed dark. He didn’t look up yet to see where exactly the wolf had brought him. He clung to his wolf, glad to have a living being he loved in his arms.

Something moved next to him but he still didn’t find it in himself to look up. He felt strangely safe. His wolf would never bring him anywhere he was in danger.

“Keith?” a very drowsy voice asked. 

“Woof!!!!”

“Kosmo! You have found him?” The person next to him moved with more enthusiasm. And now Keith identified it and looked up.

“Shiro?!” He took his surroundings in. This was Shiro’s bedroom. The curtains were closed and it was dark and the man was sitting up next to him. 

“Oh thank god! We... we thought you were... dead...” Shiro’s voice cracked.

“I might die if I don’t get food soon... Where’s my dinner?” It was strange, awkward even. But he didn’t know how to articulate himself properly.

“Wait I’ll go warm it up... It... got cold.” Shiro got up and left the room probably feeling similarly awkward. Keith didn’t notice much, but that Shiro only wore black Boxers stuck to his mind. But Shiro leaving wasn’t exactly what Keith had wanted so he tried his best to follow him although he was weak on the legs from having nothing to eat and drink for days.

When he reached Shiro he fell to his back and embraced him. “I... I’m sorry... I...”

“It’s fine. You’re back.” Shiro turned around in Keith’s arms and gave him a cup of water. “You need to drink!”

Keith took it and took slow sips. His body wasn’t used to eating and drinking anymore, so he was slow, but the cup was empty when he returned it. 

Then the microwave pinged and Shiro started to move to get Keith’s food but he held him back.

“Shiro?”

“Hm?”

“You... wanted to tell me something when I returned...”

Shiro looked at him. “Don’t you want to eat first?”

“No... I want to kiss you first!”

“Keith!?”

“That was what you wanted to tell me, right?”

Shiro looked at him in the bright kitchen light and then nodded. “I love you!” He said and leaned down to kiss Keith gently, still disbelieving what was happening right now.

“I love you, too!” Keith replied with a smile and then demanded his food. They could lie down to sleep and do everything in between after he had something solid in his stomach.


	16. Day 16: Changes/Letter to Santa Clause (Childhood AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith now lives with his mother and wishes nothing more than to stay in contact with Shiro. But life happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to post this this shortly after S8... I didn't know the end when I wrote this... I promise they will have their happy end

Day 16: Changes/Letter to Santa Clause

“Dear Santa,

I don’t have many wishes this year. My biggest wish was already granted when I met my mom this summer. Now is only one thing left: I want to stay in contact with Shiro! He is my best friend and now that I live with mom and Kolivan I can’t meet him anymore. I miss him! I don’t want anything to play or so... I only want to meet Shiro next year as well.

Keith”

Krolia smiled a bit when she read her son’s letter. And she would make sure that Keith could meet his friend next year. After that it would perhaps become difficult for them to meet since Shiro would start college after summer and no one knew where he would be accepted. Of course he was a bright boy and had probably free choice but that would make the friendship between him and Keith a bit more difficult. She had met Shiro when she came to get Keith’s things. And she noticed that yes, the two were close, but now lived in worlds that drifted apart simply because of their age gap. Shiro had to take his future into his hands while Keith only had to worry about school. The real problems were still ahead of him. Puberty had still to fully hit him while Shiro was almost through it. She didn’t tell Keith but she thought it was unlikely that this friendship would survive the distance. She would of course take care of her son’s heartache. 

So much had changed in Keith’s life right now. He had moved to Seattle to live with her and her partner Kolivan, he went to a new school where he had his problems to fit in, at least he had found Lance as a new friend. They were a strange pair. Keith, the quiet rebellious boy and Lance the bright ray of sunshine who talked too much and was loud but somehow they went along. Krolia didn’t know what exactly it was that held the boys together, but it was good that Keith had a friend. 

They went to Arizona at the start of the summer break. Krolia had a week off because her boss and his family were on vacation as well so she took her son and flew to Phoenix on her first free day. Keith was excited to see Shiro again. Lately the messages from the older boy came scarcely which only confirmed Krolia’s fears that he would at one point break Keith’s heart. And she couldn’t even blame him. 

When they arrived at the airport she could barely handle her son. For him everything was still as it used to be.   
At least Shiro had agreed to pick them up. He smiled when he spotted his friend with the strange two-coloured hair and ran to him and hugged him. Shiro smiled as well and returned the hug. Shiro was now so much taller than Keith. They looked more like brothers than friends. But she shook the thoughts off and went over to greet the other boy as well.

Shiro drove them to their hotel in the Holt’s car and Krolia invited him to have lunch with them at the hotel.

“When will you leave for college?” Keith asked while they were waiting for their food.

“In four weeks. I’ll be back here for Christmas but besides that I don’t know...”

“I see... But perhaps you can come to visit me?”

Shiro smiled bitterly. “I don’t know... College will be expensive. And I don’t want to burden the Holts too much. They have two own kids who will go to college in a few years. Of course I have my scholarships and I will take a part time job... But I can’t tell how much I can put away for travelling. I’m sorry Keith. But we will spend this week together, I promise.” 

That was what Krolia had thought as well. So much changed now for everyone. She had to get used to take care for a teenager, Keith had to get used to a life apart from his closest friend and Shiro had to get used to college life. They had to deal with it.

This week in Phoenix showed it clearly. There was a gap between the two boys, they had already started to drift apart. They lived in so much different worlds now and were apart for too long. Perhaps they could reconnect when Keith was older. If by then he was still interested in that. He would get used to his new life and sadly broken hearts belonged to growing up.


	17. Day 17: The colour red/black ice (Childhood AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I guess this will be the last part of the AU. 8 years later they get reunited at Matt's birthday party and... things happen...

Day 17: Colour red/Black ice

The beats of the music from downstairs filled the room. The party, Matt’s 21st birthday, was still going on although it was already past midnight. Inside the room it was all but quiet: sheets were ruffling as two naked bodies were gliding against each other. Quiet pants and moans filled the air, were the evidence of the pleasure the two people felt as they touched each other, explored skin and kissed deeply. When Shiro hit an especially sensitive spot deep inside him Keith threw his head back in pleasure. He couldn’t promise that he didn’t just leave scratch marks on Shiro’s back.

“Damn... When did you get this hot?” Shiro asked breathlessly. “Who allowed you to run around like this?”

“Some time when you were at college and didn’t have the time to look after me.”

“Shame on me! Hngh... What if some pervert had taken advantage of you? And pulled you into his bed?” Shiro’s thrusts intensified.

“You mean just like you do right now?”

The look of utter horror on Shiro’s face was almost hilarious. “Hey! Don’t go weak on me right now!” Damn Keith didn’t want to ruin the mood! “I want this! I want you! If I didn’t I would have said so before we came here!” He pulled Shiro closer to kiss him and push his hips up to demonstrate his desire for the other man. And luckily Shiro didn’t let his words get too close to him.

“Keith!”

“I love... this!” 

“God Keith, you’re driving me insane!”

“It’s my pleasure, now come on... We can talk later!” Right now he didn’t want to discuss anything, he just wanted to feel Shiro inside him, having him close like this. This.... was perfect! And thankfully Shiro recovered quickly from the verbal blow and it took them just a few more minutes to find their release with each other’s name on their lips.

Even after they were done and Shiro had thrown the condom away, Keith didn’t want to let go of him so he crawled into Shiro’s arms. “Will anyone await us back?” he asked. The beats of the music still came through the properly closed door.

“Matt will notice... and probably kill me for seducing you right after we have met again...”

“You seduced me?” Keith had been convinced it had been him who had done the work.

“Yeah? It worked apparently.”

Keith snickered. “Well I’d say we seduced each other.”

Shiro smiled and pressed a kiss on his forehead. “Damn... I really shouldn’t have done this.”

“Why? Do you regret it?”

“Not exactly... but... You were my little brother! I took care of you... I... You... Keith... I always thought you are cute. But when I saw you coming into the living room... Matt had told me he’d invited one of the first year students he tutored, but not that it was you... I was like bewitched. How could my cute little Keith who had been so desperate have become such a hot man in just eight years?”

“Just eight years... I think it’s been long enough...” Keith had finished school in Seattle but he didn’t like the climate there, so now he had returned to his old home for college and happened to run into Matt on one of his first days. “And about the ‘hot’ thing... do you ever look into a mirror? Really, Shiro... Don’t feel bad. I am as guilty as you are and I don’t regret anything.”

“And... what do you want? I mean... I barely know who you have become...”

“I... Shiro... to be honest... I hope this was not a one-time thing... I barely know after-college you as well... Or... not at all... But... I wouldn’t mind to change that as well...”

“So you wanna get reacquainted and while doing so have sex with me?”

“Wow... that sounds ... vulgar...”

“How would you call it?” Shiro looked at him.

“Dating?” he asked feeling a bit ahead of himself.

“That... sounds bold!”

“Shiro... I like you... very much... We’ve both grown up. But you still radiate the same warmth I ... fell in love with.” He shyly looked at Shiro, hoping he had not overstepped a boundary by confessing his old crush which was strongly demanding attention again!

Shiro was obviously surprised but then replied softly: “And I can still feel your stubborn fire I liked so much...” He fell silent for a few seconds considering what he wants. “All right... Let’s give it a try... If it fails you have your studies and I have my work to drown ourselves in.”

Keith smiled and nodded. “If it fails, I guess we’ll never meet again. But we’ll make this work!” he said and leaned over to press another kiss to Shiro’s lips who returned it gently.

They stayed in Shiro’s old bed for a few more minutes but then got up and got dressed again; not without Shiro making a comment of his bright red underwear.

~~~

“Look who comes back...” Matt said with a partly teasing partly sarcastic undertone. “Shiro... I invited Keith because I thought you two would like to catch up... And I didn’t mean that you should drag him into your bed...”

“I wanted to be dragged into his bed.” Keith replied. Denying what they did was senseless so he could just admit it. “So don’t just scold him. There are in most cases two people included.” 

“Keith...” Matt looked at him.

“We want to try dating,” he added. 

“What?” Matt looked at the pair while Shiro took Keith’s hand. 

“Well... It’s still kind of... a probation period I’d call it. We don’t know if we’ll work out after all the years” He looked at Keith questioning but the younger man nodded

“Much time has passed... We’ll have to see, but... We’ll give it a chance.” He gently squeezed Shiro’s hand. 

Matt sighed. “You two will be a nail to my coffin. Do as you please but don’t come crying to me if it doesn’t work.” His eyes lay specifically on Shiro who only grinned at him.

“Sooo now that that’s clear, you can help us clean up.” Pidge said. “Keith will help to since he wants to try being a part of our family. So he can try collecting all the beer bottles.”

Keith sighed. “What if I wanted to go home?”

“You wouldn’t come far on your bike. It had rained while you two had... fun and the streets are covered in black ice...”

“Oh... Guess I’ll help then...” Keith resigned. But well... That would mean he had to sleep in Shiro’s bed later. Not the worst way to end a party.


	18. Day 18: Cooking together/Playlist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cooking with Shiro is always an adventure. Especially when he gets to choose the music.

Day 18: Playlist/cooking together

“Hey! What are you doing? You wanted to help me prepare our dinner!” Keith called into the living room. He wasn’t sure if cooking with Shiro was the best idea... The fire alarm once went off when Shiro had tried to make pasta... Keith still didn’t get how exactly it happened and didn’t ask any further. 

“Coming!” Shiro’s voice was cheerful and a few seconds later Keith heard music from the next room. Then Shiro entered the kitchen with his portable speakers and placed them on the kitchen table. “I just wanted a bit of music.” He grinned.

Keith shook his head and smiled. He liked the song. It reminded him of their first holiday trip together. The song had been played several times back then was very popular at the time. He didn’t understand the language but it reminded him on beach and a promenade and sunshine and dancing together at a bar one night.

“Nice song!”

Shiro grinned. “Yeah.” He said and gave Keith a short sweet kiss. “Come let’s get started. What shall I do?”

“You can wash the lettuce and the vegetables.” Keith instructed and shoved said things over to Shiro. He himself took care of the meat. He wouldn’t let Shiro do that! They wanted to make hamburgers themselves and had been grocery shopping for that after work.

Keith hummed along the song and was in quite a good mood. He looked at Shiro but he looked like he was okay with his tasks although somehow he seemed a little nervous. But perhaps it was because he hadn’t prepared any more complex meal than pizza in his life.

Then the song changed and Keith looked up. It was a different style from the song before: Another familiar song. He smiled and looked at his boyfriend. “Wow, that bears memories!” he said. Shiro just smiled at him fondly but had to pick a tomato out of the sink which had fallen out of his hands.

It was an old song. Older than he himself. But he remembered it well. It had been a rainy afternoon. He had been at Shiro’s to learn for an exam the radio was playing music in the background, when Keith had decided he needed a break and leaned back on the couch he was sitting on. Shiro had joined him, and when Keith opened his eyes he noticed the gentle look in Shiro’s eyes he had already seen before but Shiro had always averted his gaze when he was caught looking. Now he didn’t. Keith could see so much affection in Shiro’s eyes. He had taken a breath and leaned over to kiss his best friend for the first time. Of course after that he decided that he had learned enough for the day. Kissing Shiro had been so much more interesting than boring school stuff.

Somehow Keith still felt his heart flutter whenever he heard that song. He went over to Shiro to steal another kiss from him. “I love you,” he said. 

Shiro gulped and took a deep breath.

“You alright?” Keith asked. They were together now for five years hat said these words for countless times already. There was no need to be nervous, right?

“Yeah. Sorry...” Shiro gave him another kiss and then returned to his kitchen tasks. 

“Do you trust yourself not to harm you when I ask you to cut the tomatoes and cucumber into slices? And the lettuce into stripes?”

“I guess I can do that!” Shiro smiled and did exactly that. Keith put the buns into the oven and put the hamburger patties he had made into the frying pan.

They worked in silence and the song changed again. Keith glanced at Shiro. He had to be up to something. “You made a good playlist.” It had to be on purpose. Why else was this the song that reminded him of their first time? The song that played on Shiro’s radio alarm that woke them up the morning after still naked and gross because they had fallen asleep before they could get cleaned up.

“I hope so. Makes cooking more bearable.” Shiro grinned and looked at him.

“Look at your task. I don’t want to drive you to the ER because you cut your thumb off...”

“Sorry.” Shiro grinned nervously and returned to his task. 

Keith smiled. He really was curious what his boyfriend had planned if he reminded him of so many important steps in their relationship with songs.

The summer song that had stuck in their ears the night they were snowed in, Songs that reminded him of their most beautiful dates or them moving in together... Even the one that had played the day that Shiro tried to make said pasta which led to be evacuated from the house. 

They even listened to the nostalgia of Shiro’s playlist when they were eating: Nothing out of the ordinary, just them sitting at their dining table and eating hamburgers. And somehow Keith got an idea, what Shiro might be up to. There was a reason to all of this.

And then suddenly a song started, which hadn’t any connection to their relationship. Keith knew it and liked it but... He looked at Shiro who smiled and took a deep breath.

“Keith... I... guess you have already figured me out by now, right?” he asked. 

Keith smiled and looked at him expectantly. He wouldn’t make this too easy for him.

“I hope you had the same memories as I had when I made this playlist. I wanted to take you into the past and remind you of all the good things we were. Last week you said you liked this song and that it reminded you of me... I still don’t exactly get why but... I want to make your link to the song deeper and add it to our ‘us’ playlist... Which you got to listen to right now... and... God... I imagined this a bit easier... after all we’ve been through...” Shiro gulped but Keith just smiled at him. God, This man was so incredibly cute! He knew the answer before Shiro even had asked the question: “Keith Kogane... Will you marry me?” Shiro pulled a small case out of his hoodie’s pocked and opened it. Inside was a beautiful sliver ring. Simple but Keith instantly liked it.

“Of course! I’d love to!” he replied and pulled Shiro over the table by his collar to kiss him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if I'll be able to post tomorrow... I don't have any prepared chapters left and I'll be out to have dinner with the co-workers and ensemble of our christmas fairytale...


	19. Day 19: Domestic life/Christmas market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They want to go to the Christmas market but the chores have to be done first...

Day 19: Domestic life/Christmas market

“Shiro? Are you ready?” Keith asked and looked into the kitchen of their flat. He was excited for their day but then he noticed... he had forgotten something.

“Just a moment. I still have to put the dishes away.” Shiro stood with the back to him at the dishwasher and put the plates to their place in the cupboard before he continued with the glasses.

“But we wanted to go to the Christmas market before it gets too crowded! The dishes can wait a bit longer” He didn’t want it to be a big topic but...

“Someone has to take care of the chores... and since a certain someone here preferred to play his games instead of doing the laundry and emptying the dishwasher as I explicitly asked him to before I had to leave for my doctor’s appointment.”

“I started the laundry and took Kosmo for a walk and vacuumed the whole flat...” It wasn’t like Keith had been lazy the whole time Shiro had been away... he had... just forgotten to empty the dishwasher when he had started his game to occupy himself until said device was ready.. It wasn’t his fault he hadn’t been able to save until 10 minutes ago when Shiro had already returned... “I didn’t mean to forget the dishes... And I’ve just hung the laundry...”

Shiro took a deep breath and turned around. “Keith...”

“Look Shiro, I’m sorry. Really. I know you feel too drained after your appointments. I wanted to get it done... I guess I’ll just read a book next time I have to wait for a machine to be ready... I’m sorry...” He couldn’t look into Shiro’s eyes right now. 

They took things slow lately. The war was over, Voltron wasn’t needed anymore. Of course the Paladins still went out into space to look out that the peace was stable, but more often than not they were on earth having a peaceful life. And those times always got to Shiro. So much that he had recently started a therapy that would help him with his PTSD but it also drained him to work on himself and his past. Keith knew that, he hd sworn to make things as easy for his partner as he could but still he sometimes fucked up like this... The Christmas marked was supposed to be Shiro’s reward for the stress. And now he was again stressed because he had forgotten to do all his tasks in the house...

He missed Shiro’s weak smile. “It’s okay... I guess... I got a bit upset... I’m sorry, too”

“Don’t be!! You have your own work to do I know it’s not easy! So don’t ever be sorry if I fail to support you!”

“Keith... I don’t want to fight over this!”

“So just accept my apology,” Keith said and now looked up again into much too gentle eyes. “You still wanna go? Or do you want me to fill you a bathtub?” He really wanted Shiro to relax. Life was hard enough for him. 

“I want to go. And then when we’re frozen through we can still take a bath together.” Shiro smiled and leaned down for a sweet kiss. Keith was relieved he was forgiven so easily. 

“Sounds good. Then get ready, I’ll finish the dishes.”

Shiro smiled and nodded. “Thank you baby.”

Keith just shoved him out of the kitchen and continued the task. He wasn’t really motivated to do so but he, too, didn’t want to fight over the household when Shiro was stressed out. When the dishwasher was empty and filled with the things from lunch which hadn’t fit in anymore, Shiro returned to the kitchen and Keith smiled when he notices Shiro wore the pants he loves so much on him.

“I wanted to spoil you...” he said. And now he got this sight!

“You can do so. I want to spoil you as well.” Shiro said and took his hand.

Keith smiled and kissed his boyfriend again and then they went to get their shoes and winter jackets to leave again, Kosmo at their side to have a look at the interstellar Christmas market. It was quite interesting what kind of approach the aliens offered to Earth’s most famous holiday. Many humans were a bit appalled but Keith somehow liked it. But perhaps that was because he had seen their worlds as well.


	20. Day 20: Put out the trash/Nerds among themselves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith returns from a solo mission and finds his boyfriend having fun with his friends.

Day 20: Put out the trash/Nerds among themselves

“I’ll get you this time, Shiro!”

“I want to see you try Pidge!”

“While you two fight I win!”

Laughter from three voices came out of the living room when Keith returned home. He smiled. So Shiro knew how to occupy himself when he had to be alone. He took off his shoes and went to unpack his things and started the first washing machine. Shiro didn’t even seem to notice he was back. Keith shook his head but he wasn’t mad. He saw that Shiro and the Holt siblings had ordered pizza and he looked at the leftovers. Shiro’s pizza was easily recognizable: He was the only one who loved pineapple on pizza. Keith shrugged. He was hungry so he took a slice of Shiro’s pizza. He had gotten used to the taste. At first he couldn’t imagine it as well, but when he had dared to try it he found it at least acceptable enough to steal from Shiro in situations like this. So chewing he went over to the closed living room door and entered the room.  
“I’m back,” he informed the three who were still very sunken in their video game and teasing each other.

“Keith!” Pidge screamed and ran over to hug him. “How was it? Have you found it?”

“Good. Yes, I found them and I shall send you the Olkari’s best regard.”

“GREAT!” Pidge cheered. Of course she would have loved to accompany him on his mission to find their new home, but her researches had kept her on earth and Keith had been on the mission alone. So much had changed now, there were not many opportunities to hang out together but well... Pidge let him go. Matt just waved at him with a grin which Keith returned but then he had only eyes for his boyfriend: Shiro how he sat on the floor, controller in his hands and smiling happily. 

“You look good.” 

“You too, Keith.” Shiro got up to greet him with a warm embrace and a sweet kiss. “I thought you wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.”

“I wanted to come home so Black hurried a bit.” Keith smiled.

“Is that my pizza you’re eating there?” Shiro asked when he let go and noticed the half eaten slice in Keith’s hand.

“You don’t mind, do you?”

“It’s too late to mind, isn’t it?” Shiro grinned and kissed him again. “Wanna join us?”

Keith looked at them and then shook his head. “Nah... I’m going to take a long bath, steal your last slice of pizza and then go to bed. I’m tired and you nerds are better off without me.” 

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Have a nice remaining evening. He waved at the siblings and stole another sweet, sweet kiss from Shiro before he turned around and make his plans happen. Of course it would also be great to have Shiro’s company in the tub or later in bed but he looked like he had so much fun with his friends and he deserved that as well. He would have him in his arms later anyway when they decided to call it a night.

“You don’t wanna join him?” He heard Pidge ask slyly. He had gotten the rest of Shiro’s pizza and went over to the bathroom but threw a curious look into the living room where Pidge was standing in front of Shiro, and looked at him very smugly.

“Oh, keep your mouth shut!”

“Hey, you haven’t seen your pretty boyfriend in over three months, and he’s now in there and getting undressed to take a bath! You really want to miss out on... Shiro?? SHIRO!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Let me down!”

Keith saw how Shiro had lifted the young woman up and threw her over his shoulder. 

“I’m putting out the trash that’s all!” 

Matt couldn’t contain his laughter and Keith grinned as well before he really retreated to the bathroom and locked the door. He loved having so much life in here but he preferred to stay out of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slowly catching up. I don't know if I'll be able to finish it on time due to a severe lack of said time... but I'll try.


	21. Day 21: Adventure/Warm socks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel of Day 18. Getting married can be quite an adventure

Day 21: Adventure/Warm socks

The wedding preparations went well. The date was set, the guests invited... it all had to be much bigger than they had initially planned. Somehow they had found so many friends over the past years who wanted to be there and Keith had found not only a family of friends but his real mother as well and so their plans of a wedding just with their found family, the people who were closest to them had evaporated into thin air along the planning phase. 

“We need some vegetarian food as well...” Shiro said. They were currently making a list of the things they wanted to offer their guests to eat.

Keith groaned and let himself fall back on the couch’s headrest. “I didn’t know how damn much work it is to get married... If I knew...”

“You wouldn’t want to marry me?” Shiro looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

“What? I still wanna be married to you! I always want that! But... Can’t we just skip to that part and leave everything on the way out?”

Shiro looked at him. Then a sparkle of mischief appeared in his eyes. “What do you think of an adventure?” he asked and pushed their list away.

“What do you have in mind?”

“A short trip.” Shiro winked. 

“To?” 

Shiro leaned over and whispered it into his ears. 

Keith blinked but then... “Let’s do this!” he beamed. “Let’s get Lance and Matt and meet at the Garrison. You can get a jet ready for us, can’t you?”

Shiro laughed. 

They got up, packed a few things and then left to grab their respective best friends not caring about other plans the two might have. 

“I’ll bring him back tomorrow!” Keith said to Allura while he put a few clothes in a bag for Lance and then left without any explanation and despite Lance’s protests and demands of explanation.

Matt looked equally confused next to Shiro when Keith and Lance arrived.

“What are you two up to?” Matt demanded to know. “Is it bad I’ve forgotten to pack warm socks?”

“Yeah, what?” Lance parroted, hands crossed in front of his chest.

“You don’t need warm socks, Matt.” Shiro replied when he made the jet he borrowed ready for take-off.

“Be glad I trust you...” Lance pouted when they got in and waited for the green light. 

“When you say we’re going to Las Vegas for you to get married, I’ll leave at this moment.”

But at that moment Shiro already took off. 

“No escape anymore.” Shiro said with a grin. “We’re going to Las Vegas and we don’t want any strangers to be our best men so we have to take our best friends with us!”

“You serious?” Lance asked baffled.

“Totally. You know what a pain in the ass it is to get everything planned? It’s just too much... We just want to be legally married, have a few tax advantages and in the case of emergency can be there for each other unconditionally! And of course we want it to be the most official that we are together.” Keith replied.

“You’re crazy...” Matt stated.

“Not that it is any news but yeah... totally crazy...” 

“And? Will you still do it?” Shiro asked, still concentrated on flying.

Matt and Lance looked at each other as if doubting their best friends’ sanity but then shrugged in unison. This was so damn much like them. “Of course... We can’t get off here anyway until you bring this bird down... BUT!”

Shiro threw a short questioning look at Matt.

“BUT while you two celebrate your marriage together tonight we get to spend our night in the casinos! On your expenses”

“Deal.” Shiro said. “And if you win something we divide it and put it into your wedding budgets.”

“Doesn’t sound so bad, does it?” Matt asked Lance who nodded. So it was decided. Keith and Shiro looked at each other lovingly. They would be married in less than six hours. Of course they would still have to celebrate with everyone but now it doesn’t seem so bad anymore to organize everything.


	22. Day 22: Christmas tree/Starry sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third date ends up as planned. They are on the moon!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew Finally caught up again! Let's hope I'll find the time for the last two chapters on their days ^^'' Chistmas is stressful. Thank god I don't have to work at least for the next two days!

Day 22: Christmas tree/Starry sky

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Keith could hear Shiro’s voice through the communicator of his helmet.

“Yeah.” He replied and looked up to the blue ball in the sky. 

“Look how bright it has become during the last year! So many cities have been rebuilt!”

“It’s making progress.” Keith agreed. “Now the planet can recover. And perhaps even nature can now recover a bit from what the humans have done...”

“Hmm.” Shiro confirmed and pulled Keith closer by his waist. They were sitting on the moon’s surface and watched the earth. It had taken so much time but now he could make Keith’s wish for a date on the moon come true. When they first left earth on Blue it had been brightly lit, proof of too many humans living on the planet. Now, after the Galra attack it had turned so much darker, More than half of the planet’s inhabitants had been killed. There was barely a person who had not lost anyone close to them. But as Keith had just stated, perhaps it was a chance for the planet to recover from all that had been done to it. “You’re right. And if humans help it can become even more beautiful than before.”

“Yeah. Let’s work to make that become reality.”

Shiro smiled and nodded.

“But not tonight. Tonight we’re here on the moon. Only us and the starry sky around us.”

*Poof*”

“And Kosmo” Keith laughed as the now really large space wolf appeared next to them and decided he wanted to be a lap dog by lying down across their legs.

They laughed and started to pet the intelligent animal. 

“Shiro?”

“Hm?”

“Thanks for making the time to come here with me.”

“You wanted an uninterrupted date on the moon. And your wish is my command.” Shiro wanted to kiss him but their helmets prevented it so he could just lean in a bit closer.

“Sap!”

“You love me for it.”

“Sadly that’s true. I love the cute caring side of the great Takashi Shirogane, Captain of the Atlas, saviour of the Earth and half the universe.”

“Only half the universe?”

“Sure. The other half is free because of me! You needed a Galra among yourselves to connect with the Galra who only fought because they were told to.”

Shiro laughed and gave in. “Okay, point taken. Besides, you’re only half Galra.”

“That’s enough if you ask me. Made my life hard enough.”

“Thank god you could steal my car back then for me to guide you back.”

Keith laughed and tried to box Shiro to the shoulder which, due to the reduced gravity, led to them being pushed a bit apart and they laughed even more. Kosmo jumped up and the three of them engaged in a game of chasing each other and jumping around. Kosmo barked which they couldn’t hear due to the lack of air but they had fun. Until Keith and Shiro lands in each other’s arms and caught their breaths. 

“Fuck, I love you!” 

“What’s so bad about it?” Shiro asked with a smile in his voice.

“Nothing... It’s just... I love you so much sometimes I can’t even bear the feelings I have for you!”

Shiro’s expression softened and he looked deeply into Keith’s eyes, seeing the passion and deep love the young man had for him. 

“Let’s go back to Black? Somehow I wanna get you out of this suit!”

Keith laughed and agreed. He had the very same desire. He wanted to touch his boyfriend and kiss him and touch him more until he lost his mind in pleasure.

So they returned to their lion and were a bit astounded when they found a small Christmas tree in the cockpit where they took off their helmets. Kosmo barked and sat down next to it.

“So you brought this here?” Keith asked the wolf. Right, it was a few days before Christmas! Perhaps he would be able to celebrate it with his new found family this year. It would be as nice as this very nice date on the moon. Which was far from over if he was concerned.


	23. Day 23: Christmas lights/I only need one more present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is looking for the last missing present. The one for the most important person in his life.

Day 23: Christmas lights/I only need one more present

One! One more present and then he was done! Since when was Christmas connected with so much stress? Oh right, since he had found himself a new family and they had returned to Earth and a halfway quiet life... And now he had to think of everyone for this holiday... Most of his friends were no big problem. Hunk got something for his cooking, Pidge had mentioned she wanted a new microscope and everyone gave some money so that Matt could buy a quite expensive one for her, Lance simply some beauty products, Allura would get things that were typical earth... His mom would get a few gag presents. They didn’t laugh much together and he wanted to change that. The only one missing... was Shiro. What could he get his wonderful loving dork of a boyfriend?

He strolled through the city and looked at all the things there but nothing, really nothing, jumped him and wanted to be Shiro’s. Nothing funny, nothing useful, no book (he had shortly thought about getting him an e-reader though, so Shiro could read with only one hand – but then remembered that that was what Pidge and Matt already got for him)... What could you get someone who had seen big parts of the universe? Who had everything he could ever want? Yes, as Captain of the Atlas he was not free to roam the universe as he wanted to but that didn’t keep them from sneaking out into space nonetheless. Black was quite useful! He could get him a free trip to any destination he wanted to, but that would be lame since they already did that.

He passed a sex shop. Something from there? But how could he know what Shiro liked? They had not started to experiment with toys, yet and he didn’t want to embarrass himself. Perhaps they should come here together? Or a gift coupon? But what if Shiro thought he was dissatisfied with their intimate hours? He went on. Too many risks he didn’t want to take!

He stopped at a pet shop and entered. Perhaps he should get Kosmo something as well. And he was easy to please. He went straight to the dog treats and bones and toys. After a few lances he disregarded the toys. His proud space wolf would not want squeaky balls or chickens. But he would not refuse a nice bone and treats. He smiled and chose a few items for his beloved companion. Then he noticed the animals... Puppies. Would Shiro like that? Another thing he shouldn’t get him without having talked first. They had a wolf... No, better not buy any new pet. He went to pay for Kosmo’s gifts and asked the clerk if she could wrap it up, what she gladly did. Many people got gifts for their pets apparently. Keith shook his head. Of course he got Kosmo something right now, but he spoiled him every day even without Christmas...

He put the wrapped treats into his bag and left the shop still not any wiser about Shiro’s gift...

He passed a toy shop and out of pure desperation entered that. They had plush animals. Lions even? Yes Keith found some, even the Voltron lions. But they had each gotten some at the last Clear Day event. And Kosmo loved plush toys... so much they were almost unrecognizable by now. So he left once more. 

Slowly he grew more and more frustrated. It couldn’t be so hard to find a gift for your damn boyfriend! The person you loved more than anything! It wasn’t like Shiro had any expectations! He would be happy about a flower or something like that, but it was exactly that treat of his partner that made Keith want to get him something special! Something only he could get him! Something... Now it stroke him! The perfect gift for Shiro! 

He grinned to himself and just entered the next stationery shop. He got a large red bow and a gift card. Perhaps it had been done by other coupled before but... Shiro had once said that for him it was the biggest gift that Keith was at his side... So that’s what he would get. He smiled and returned home where he found his wolf jumping around in pure joy.

“What’s this?” he asked. 

“Your mom brought us a few Christmas lights. I’m lighting up our flat!” Shiro smiled and leaned down to kiss him.

Keith returned the kiss gladly and was only interrupted when he felt how Kosmo tried to get the bag out of his hands.

He let go of Shiro and lifted the bag. “Oh no, buddy! You’ll get it tomorrow like everyone else!” he laughed.

“So you finished your Christmas shopping?”

“Yep. Got something nice for everyone!”

“For me, too?”

“For you the best!” Keith grinned, pecked Shiro’s lips another time and then went to hide his purchases in a place the wolf could neither reach nor open.


End file.
